Paula's Donuts

Bakery: Paula's Donuts 
Address: 2319 Sheridan Dr, Tonawanda NY 
Website: http://paulasdonuts.com/
Style: Doughnuts
Price: $ 

Speaking of doughnuts... there's Paula's. Now, Paula's is nothing fancy. They may not have bacon cronut monstrosities, but they do have the most classic types of doughnuts and then some. And some people like it like that. Not only do they have a wide variety of doughnuts ranging from honey dip  to jelly doughnuts to Bavarian creams to old fashioned (why am I suddenly getting the urge to sing the Mister Donut theme song again?), and all the favourites you know and love, they make them fresh. Even when coming in the evening, there were fresh doughnuts coming from the oven -- and this coming from a place that opens at 5am!

In this box of half dozen, there was (clockwise from top left): the glazed twist, glazed crueller, old fashioned plain, apple-filled, and a glazed fritter. Without a doubt, the highlights were the glazed doughnuts: a fresh, perfectly applied glaze that crackled a little just upon biting into it -- as it should. Underneath that, a fresh, soft yeast dough of the ideal density.

Less exciting were the old fashioned plain, which didn't have that same wow factor nor did it have the crunchy exterior and sandy inside that I like to see in traditional cake doughnuts -- look out for that upcoming review --, as well as the apple one with a coating of cinnamon. The cinnamon and apple complimented each other in terms of flavour, but the cinnamon had a hard time sticking on and wasn't the preferred coating.

Now, while I can't say with certainty that their claim of having "America's best donuts" is true, Paula's was very good and one of the best places to stop in the Buffalo area, whether or not love has anything to do with it. ;) Oh, and when in doubt, get glazed.

Rating: ***1/2